Apparatus for drying thread or the like



June 18,1940. H. B. KLINE ET AL 2,204,603

MPARATUS FOR DRYING THR EAD OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 7, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIEI 3nventor LINE nunlmnilllllllll lHlI YDENBK June 18,l 'H. B. KLlNE ET AL 2,204,603

AHARATUS FOR DRYING THREAD OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 7, 19s? 2Sheets-Sheet 2 2 45 AND LAvERN JJORDAN mmmtomeg V Patented June 18, 1940v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i i I r 2,204,603

APPARATUS FOR DRYING THREAD OR THE LIKE Hayden ,1 B. Kline, Cleveland,and Lavern J. Jordan, Fairview Village, Ohio, assignors to IndustrialRayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication September I, 1937, Serial No. 162,700.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for uninterruptedly dryingthread-like materials such as filaments, cords, bands, tapes, tubes,etc., hereinafter referred to as thread.

Apparatus capable of uninterruptedly drying means of the invention,shrinkage of the thread may be arrested so that a definite residualcapacity to shrink remains in the thread; in consequence, any desiredresidual capacity to shrink may be imparted to-it.

thread is of considerable importance, among A preferred embodiment ofthe invention, is 5 Other things, in the art of manufacturingartifishown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cial silk thread bycontinuous processes. Thread front elevation of the lower portion ofacontinuproduced by such processes contains, upon the ousthread-processing machine to which the 1 completion of the liquidprocessing steps, a conthread-drying apparatus of the invention is apmsiderable amount of moisture which must be replied. Figure 2 is asectional elevation on line moved to complete the processing ofthethread. 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged sec- Apparatus whichwill dry the thread as rapidly tional elevation from the line 3-3 ofFigure l. as it is being produced is of especial value,'since Figure 4is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

the thread may then be collected-in final pack- Figure 5 is a plan ofthe device of Figure 3. Fig- 15 age form contemporaneously with itsproducure'6 is a front elevation of the upper portion tion. The presentinvention relates to threadi of the device of Figure 3. In the drawings,like drying apparatus of this type which maybe emreference charactersrefer to like parts throughployed in a continuous threadprocessingmachine out. l

between the last liquid processing stage and the Referring first toFigures 1 and 2, the thread means for collecting the thread in. packageform. 8 to be dried in the thread-drying apparatus ,9

Although the invention is here disclosed in conof the invention isreceived from a, drip reel l0 nection with a machine for producingmultiple preceded by a washing reel ll. Reels "land-1| filament viscoseartificial silk thread, it will be are the last two of the several reelswhich ordiunderstood that the invention is not limited narily arepresent-inacomplete thread-processing thereto, but may be utilized todry artificial silk apparatus for the performance of the liquid threadproduced by other processes. processing steps necessary to treat thethread.

The apparatus of the invention combines ad- Each thread 8 is handled bya number of reels vantages found in the drying of thread by passingsuperposed to form a descending series and in a so it through a heateddrying tube with other adcomplete thread-processing apparatus a largevantages to be had from utilizing electrical ennumber of these verticalseries are arranged side ergy as the source of radiant heat. By passingby side as indicated in Figure 1. It is desirable the thread through adrying tube, the entire that the thread-receiving portion of one reel beperiphery of t t ead may be exposed, since it is directly below thethread discharge portion of the ot e s y o pp t t d y mea s reelimmediately thereabove in order that the 5 W t e y of the tube- Heatproduced from thread will pass directly from reel to reel. an electricresistance wire is of value in the Th reels f ach descending series arecarp drying of thread because of the great ried by castings l2 fastenedto slanting support amount of heat which may be liberated inasmall [3,which forms part of the framework of the 0 space. In accordance with theinvention, the hi Th supports l3 necessary toaccom- 0 thread passing ththe dryingtube receives modate the several series of reels are carriedaround its entire periphery from a Substanupon a longitudinallyextending rail II. To roy Completely encircling electrical heating tatethe several reels making up each descending e c1086 p y relation to thethreadseries, a power driven shaft l 5 extending upward I 1' reduce thedemands m upon the drying at the rear of the reels is connected bygearing 5 tube in the removal of moisture from thread pass- [6 and H toreels l0 and .l l, respectively. The I 8 therethrmigh. t e ion providesmeans several shafts l5 are driven by a common drive for removing excessliquid from the thread prior shaft l8 disposed longitudinally of theappato its entrance into the tube: this feature makes ratus.v I I itpossible to utilizea shorter drying tube, a smali- The reels l0 and Hare representative of any 50 er consumption of electricity, or both. Theinunitary helix-forming device which serves to advention furthercontemplates the provision of vance axially thereof thread fed theretoat the means for controlling shrinkage of the thread supported endthereof. The reels here shown arising from removal of moisture from thethread comprise two reel members having their axes ll during its passagethrough the drying tube. By

disposed in ofiset and inclined relation and hav- .periphery of theother reel member.

ing the axis of one reel member lying within the Each reel memberincludes a plurality of longitudinally extending bar members, the barmembers of the two reel members being disposed in interdigitatingrelation. It is'not' necessary, however, to the practice'of theinvention that reels of this particular construction be employed;indeed, it is contemplated that the thread-drying apparatus of theinvention may, if desired, be associated with any other means supplyingwet thread.

In advancing in helical form over the surface of reel I I, the thread issubjectedto a washing treatment by water showered upon the reel fromdistributor l9. The several distributors I9 are supplied with water froma pipe 29. In passing over reel 10, a considerable amount ofthe externalmoisture upon the thread is removed by dripping therefrom, but even uponleaving reel H] the water content of the thread may be as high as 300%.The thread-drying apparatus 9 of the invention removes from the threadall or as much as is desired of its internal moisture content, so thatthe thread may be collected in finished packageform as upon cap twister2|.

The thread-drying apparatus 9, comprises a tu-' {with a'thick layer ofheat insulating material 2l extending between the flared ends 24 and thechannel 26. To close the upper and lower open ends of the tubularmember, plates 28 and 29 are provided, each having therein slots 38 and3| which extend inward from theperiphery to the center of the plates.These plates are so located upon the tubular member that the opening tothe slots 30 and 3| will register with the opening 25 between theflaredends 24. The plates 28 and '29 may be held in position by any desiredmeans such as welding at 32.

Within the tubular member and ,seated against the end plates 28 and 29are ring members 34 and 35, preferably made of some electric insulatingmaterial such as porcelain. Seated within recesses 36 in the ringmembers 34 and 35 and extending between them are the, rods 31 and 31preferably of the same insulatingmaterial. Rods 31 and'31' arecircumferentially disposed about the axis of the tubular member- Therods 31' near the entrance 25 to the tubular member are preferablyformed with projections 38 at spaced intervals therealong.

An electrical resistance. wire 39 is wound as shown about the rods 31and 31'. In installing such wire, it is first hooked upon the uppermosttwo of the projections 38 of one of the rods 31' and then is broughtaway from opening-v 25 and laid around the several rods 31 until theother rod 31 is reached. The wire is then hooked over then hooked uponthe next two lower projections 38 of this ,rod and is again carriedaround the several rods 31 until the other rod 31 is reached.

By carrying the wire back and forth in this manner, the entrance 25 andthe slots 30 and 3| in the end plates are not obstructed and the threadmay readily be introduced into the tubular member. Also, due to thewinding of the wire about the axis of the tubular member, the threadwhich is passing longitudinally through the center of the tubularmember'is exposed over virtually its entire periphery to the radiantheat emitted'by the resistance element. Projections 38 not only enablethe wire to be wound about the interior of thetubular member in themanner noted but serve to' maintain the spacing between the turns of thewire.

The ends 40 and 4| of the resistance wire 39 lead into the channel 26andpass out through opening 42 therein for connection to line wires 89 and90.

In assembling the tubular member, rings 34 and 35 are located uponopposite ends of rods 31 and 31" and the resistance wire 39 is woundabout the rods in the formation described. This assembly is theninserted through one of the open ends of the cylindrically formed metalsheet 23 and is held in proper position therein by'sec'uring the plates28 and 29, as by weld 32, upon the ends of the metal sheet 23. The leadwires 49 and 4| are next brought out through the opening 42 and thechannel 26 is then positioned against the exterior of the metal sheet23.

' To retain tubular member 22 upon'the frame of the apparatus, it may beand. preferably is secured to a bracket 44 having arms 45.and 4B.Tubular member 22 is secured to arm 45 by screws 41 passing through thewall of metal sheet 23 and through the rear wall of thechannel 26. Inthis manner the channel 26 is clamped against the exterior of metalsheet 23. Arm 46 of bracket 44 is secured by bolts 48 to a channelmember 49 Vii secured to the rail l4. Extending between the upon the arm45 of bracket 44. To rotate the rollers, 52 and 53 at the same speedthey are connected together by gears 58 and 59 mounted upontheprojecting ends of the shafts. To drive rollers 52 and 53 from theinclined shaft 15 whichv drivesv the reels l9 and II, they are connectedto the shaft l5 through an intermediate shaft 68. Shaft 60, which isrotatable in bearings 6| and 62 carried upon opposite arms of bracket44, carries at one end a bevel gear 63 and at the other end a spur gear64. Bevel gear 63 meshes with bevel gear upon shaft l5 while spur gear64 meshes with gear 59 which is mounted upon the shaft 55-for thesqueeze roller 53.

Immediately below tubular member 22 is a pair of squeeze rollers 53 and61, the shafts 68 and 59 of which are rotatable in bosses 10 and 'Hcarried by the arm 45 of bracket 44. Upon the projecting ends of shafts68 and 69 are gears 12 and 13 which drive rollers 86 and 61 at the sameperipheral speed. Shaft 69 is driven by shaft 55 through the verticalconnecting shaft 14 which is rotatable in bearing l5'carried by thecross piece 50 and the bearing 16 at the lower part of bracket 44.,Shafts ,55 and T4 are connected together through bevel gears 11 and 18and shaft 14 is connected to shaft 69 through bevel gears I9 and 80.

Squeeze rollers 52 and 53 are so disposed that the periphery of theroller 53 is in line with the axis of tubular member 22, as shown inFigure 6. Because of this relationship, thread leaving roller 53 passesdirectly into slot 30 in upper plate 28. Squeeze rollers 66 and 61 areso located below'the tubular member 22 that the contacting portionbetween them is vertically below slot 3| in lower end plate 29. Due tothis relationship, the thread is drawn axially through the tubularmember22; consequently, by varying the ratio between gears 19 and 80 andgears I1 and I8, it is possible to cause squeeze rollers 66 and 61 tohave a peripheral speed different from the peripheral speed of squeezerollers 52 and 53.

It is possible, for example, to have the squeeze rollers 66 and B1rotate at a slower speed than rollers 52 and 53, so that a definiteamount of shrinkage will be permitted in the thread between the twopairs of rollers. In this manner it is possible to permit the thread toshrink to the full extent to which it will normally shrink ifunrestrained or, if preferred, it is possible to limit this shrinkage byrotating the rollers 66 and 61 at a greater rate of speed than the speedof rotation which they should have if unrestrained shrinkage were tooccur. It will be apparent that if rollers 66 and 61 are rotated at thesame peripheral speed as rollers 52 and 53 no shrinkage of the threadpassing through the drying tubeis permitted.

Between drip reel l0 and the pair of rollers 52 and 53 is a guide eye 82and immediately below the pair of rollers 66 and 61 is a similar guideeye 83. Guide eye 82 serves to deliver thread to that portion of rollers52 and 53 which will result in entrance of the thread at the axis oftubular member 22. Guide eye 83 serves to prevent the movement of thethread imposed l upon it by cap twister 2| from reaching squeeze rollers66 and 61.

To remove from roller 53 fluid which collects thereon after beingsqueezed from the thread passing between rollers 52 and 53, a wiperblade 84 may bear forcibly upon the roller 53. Wiper blade 84 is carriedupon a rod 85. held in opposite ends of a trough 86 which is carried byarm 45 of bracket 44. Water collected in the trough 86 may be conductedthrough pipe 81 to a common discharge conduit 88 extendinglongitudinally of the machine.

In threading up the apparatus, the thread is drawn from the drip reel l0and is passed at once to cap twister 2|. Thereafter the thread is loopedinto eyes 82 and 83, the thread being allowed at this time to pass overthe exterior surface of tubular member 22. It is then possible to passthe thread between the upper pair of rollers 52 and 53 and between thelower pair of rollers and 61 and to allow the thread to enter throughopening 25 into the interior of the tubular member 22.

In passing between the squeeze rollers 52 and 53 a considerable amountof the surface moisture upon the thread is squeezed out and is collectedin the trough 86. This serves to relieve the burden imposed upon thetubular member 22 of reducing the moisture content to the desiredminimum amount. By regulating the amount of electrical energy suppliedto the heating wire 39 and by properly proportioning the length oftubular member 22 to the electrical energy supplied and the total fluidto be removed from the thread, the thread may be dried to any desiredextent so that upon issuing from the tubular member 22 it may beimmediately collected upon cap twister 2 l' as a dry or nearly drythread. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to theprecise details of construction illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. For example, the invention contemplates the substitution of anequivalent element for any element of the structure herein disclosed.Furthermore, omissions may be made from the complete drying apparatusrepresented in the drawings without impairing the functioning of theremaining portion of the apparatus. Thus, it is possible to eliminateone or bothof the pairs of rollers 52, 53, 66 and 61, utilizing thedrying tube alone to remove moisture from the thread.

It is intended that thepatent shall cover,

by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features ofpatentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is: a

1. Apparatus for drying wet thread comprising, in combination, a unitaryhelix-forming device on the periphery of which the thread iscontinuously but temporarily stored in a large number of closely spacedgenerally helical turns: means for mounting said helix-forming devicefor rotation about its own axis; and, cooperating with saidhelix-forming device in the removal of moisture from the thread, anelongated drying chamber through which the thread is passed endwise in agenerally longitudinal path.

2 Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said elongated drying chamberincludes means for drying the thread by radiant energy.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 in which said elongated drying chamberincludes'an electrical resistance element for drying the thread byradiant energy.

4. Apparatus for drying wet thread compristhread to drip therefrom;means for mountingsaid helix-forming device for rotation about its ownaxis; and, for removing at least the greater part of the balance of themoisture from the thread, an elongated drying chamber through which thethread is passed endwise in a generally longitudinal path upon itsdischarge from said helix-forming device.

5. Apparatus fordrying wet thread comprising, in combination, a unitaryhelix-forming device mounted for-rotation about its own axis on theperiphery of which the thread is continuously but temporarily stored ina large number of closely spaced generally helical turns, said devicebeing so arranged as to permit a substantial part of the moisturecontent of the thread to drip therefrom; an elongated drying chamber forremoving at least the greater part of the balance of the moisture fromthe thread through which the thread is passed endwise in a generallylongitudinal path upon its discharge from said helix-forming device; andmeans for withdrawing the thread from said elongated drying chamber at alinear speed less than that at which it is fed into said chamber.

6. The process of drying wet thread comprising removing the first partof the moisture under one set of dehydrating conditions with the 4 gthread continuously but temporarily stored on a thread-advancing devicein the form of a traveling helix made up of a single layer of closelyspaced generally helical turns and at least the greater part of thebalance of the moisture under 8. different set of dehydrating conditionsas the thread is passed endwise in a generally longitudinal path.

'7. ,The process of claim 6 in which liquid clinging to the thread isallowed 'to drip therefrom in the course of the removal of the firstpart of the moisture from the thread.

8. The process of claim 6 in which, in or'der to compensate for stressesdeveloped in the threat as a result of its tendency to shrink, thetens'io'n upon the thread is relaxed in the, course of the removal ofits internal moisture.

moisture.

under-fa diiierent set of dehydrating conditions as the thread is passedendwise in a generally longitudinal path, simultaneously relaxing thetension on the thread toc'ompen'sate for stresses developed in thethread as a result o fits tendency toshrink upon theiremoval'of itsinternal B. KLINE;

'LAVERN J. JORDAN.

